Bills That Passed Delaware House Would Increase Leave and Eliminate Healthcare Waiting Period for State Workers
The House has passed three bills aimed at recruiting and retaining state workers by providing them with leave in the unfortunate event they suffer a miscarriage or lose a family member and offering healthcare upon hire rather than after a waiting period. House Bill 65 would provide state employees who suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth or other loss, a maximum of five days of paid bereavement leave. House Bill 177 would increase the amount of compassionate leave for benefits-eligible state workers upon the death of an immediate family member from three days to five days. House Bill 185 would remove the three-month waiting period for the state to pay its share of premium or subscription charges for healthcare coverage for benefits-eligible state workers hired on or after January 1, 2024. All three bills head to the Senate for consideration.
Additional Information from the Delaware House of Representatives:
The House passed a trio of bills Tuesday aimed at recruiting and retaining state workers by providing them with leave in the unfortunate event they suffer a miscarriage or lose a family member, and offering healthcare upon hire rather than after a waiting period.
The bills, sponsored by Rep. Debra Heffernan, are a continuation of the state’s efforts to lead by example, offering workers benefits that more accurately reflect the real challenges people face in their everyday lives. In 2018, the state passed a law offering paid family leave to state workers before expanding the program statewide to private employers.
“Our healthcare policies should reflect our values, and one of the best ways we can do that is offer workers leave when they face a harrowing loss, whether it’s a miscarriage or the death of a loved one,” said Rep. Heffernan, D-Brandywine Hundred South. “Giving people the time they need to process, grieve and get their affairs in order is just a very basic, human thing to do. I’m happy my colleagues saw fit to extend this benefit to our dedicated state workers.”
House Bill 65 would provide state employees who suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth or other loss, a maximum of five days of paid bereavement leave.
According to the Mayo Clinic, miscarriages occur in about 20% of all pregnancies, and generally, in the first 12 weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one out of every 100 American pregnancies ends in stillbirth. Black women have a significantly higher risk of miscarrying – 43% higher when compared to white women.
“Each of us, at one point or another, will face an unbearable loss at some point in our lives,” said Sen. Nicole Poore, the Senate prime sponsor of all three bills.
“As an employer, we have a choice about how to help our employees recover from that pain,” she said. “Providing a few days off to grieve is a simple and basic act of compassion that I believe state workers have earned with their dedication and commitment. And because we value their service, I believe we also have an obligation to begin investing in the health and welfare of our state workers from Day 1. I want to thank my colleagues in the House for standing up for state workers today and I look forward to passing these bills in the Senate.”
HB 65 passed on a party-line 26-9-5 vote, with all Republicans either voting against, not voting or absent.
House Bill 177 would increase the amount of compassionate leave for benefits-eligible state workers upon the death of an immediate family member from three days to five days.
“Immediate family” would be defined as the employee’s spouse or domestic partner; parent, stepparent or child of the employee, spouse or domestic partner; employee’s grandparent or grandchild; employee’s sibling; or any minor child for whom the employee has assumed and carried out parental responsibilities.
HB 177 also passed on a party-line 26-12-2 vote.
House Bill 185 would remove the three-month waiting period for the state to pay its share of premium or subscription charges for healthcare coverage for benefits-eligible state workers hired on or after January 1, 2024. Under the current system, state employees cannot enroll in a state healthcare plan until three months after they begin work, often forcing them to either pay much higher rates on the open market or forego healthcare altogether.
“The three-month waiting period new state hires have to endure is arbitrary and only serves to put a financial and logistical burden on people at the beginning of a new job,” Rep. Heffernan said. “Eliminating the wait is a simple move that tells new state employees that we value them and want them to receive the benefits of working here from the beginning.
All three bills head to the Senate for consideration.
